One shot, five arrested in chase after robbery

San Diego 
Police shot and wounded an armed robbery suspect in Mountain View on Wednesday after he opened fire on them, and then took him and four others into custody after a pursuit that ended in a crash.

San Diego police said a woman was robbed at gun-and knifepoint about 7:40 p.m. while she was standing at Gamma Street and South 38th Street in Southcrest, homicide Lt. Kevin Rooney said.

Two men and a woman approached the 22-year-old victim and stole her cell phone, a camera and some tennis shoes she had just bought, Rooney said. They then took off in a white van.

Three undercover detectives in an unmarked car – who were nearby on an unrelated investigation and unaware that the robbery had just occurred – saw the white van run several stop signs and began to follow it, Rooney said. The van turned into the south alley at Ocean View Boulevard and 39th Street and stopped.

When the detectives pulled in behind it, a man standing outside the vehicle on the passenger side about 50 feet away opened fire, Rooney said. At least one bullet hit the windshield of the officers' car, Rooney said.

Two detectives – the driver and a passenger – leaned out the window of the vehicle and returned fire, Rooney said. The man, who was hit at least once, got back into the van and it sped off.

The driver then led officers on a chase east on Imperial Avenue and south on South 47th Street, running stop signs and red lights as the detectives and officers in marked patrol cars followed. The pursuit ended when the van crashed into a concrete pillar under Interstate 805 at Palm Avenue in National City, Rooney said.

A passenger in the van ran away and was bitten and subdued by a police dog and taken into custody, Rooney said. He was treated at a hospital. Two other men, including one who had a gunshot wound, and two women inside the van were also arrested.

A handgun believed to have been used in the shooting was thrown out of the van during the chase and was found by a passer-by on 36th Street who turned it over to police, Rooney said.

The victim's belongings were also recovered, Rooney said.

Police identified the shooter as 21-year-old Jeff Quijano of San Diego, Rooney said. He will face three counts of attempted murder and is being held under guard at a hospital, where he is being treated for a wound to the stomach and is in stable condition.

The van's driver, 18-year-old Andrea Ramos of San Diego, was arrested on suspicion of felony evading arrest and driving under the influence of alcohol, Rooney said.

Two 23-year-old men were arrested on parole violations, and a 22-year-old woman was charged on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant.

The detectives involved in the shooting, whose names have not been released, were identified as being assigned to the Southeastern Division and the street gang unit and have 20 years and 10 years, respectively, on the force.

They have been placed on administrative assignments until it is determined that they can return to full duty, Rooney said.